


Picnicfic - Gliding the Strawberry

by freddiejoey



Category: Arthur of the Britons
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-31
Updated: 2011-08-31
Packaged: 2017-10-23 07:16:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/247631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freddiejoey/pseuds/freddiejoey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How every Dark Age picnic should unfold</p>
            </blockquote>





	Picnicfic - Gliding the Strawberry

“Twenty measures of horse feed.”

“Six boar.”

Eight deer.”

 

Carefully Kai scribbles down the list of items from the supply hut. Concentrating rigorously. Starting to become just slightly annoyed.

Further down the table Hereward the Holy is happily blathering to Arthur. “…… The First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians is one of the most quoted of his Epistles, and in fact, one of the most quoted books of the Bible, particularly the passage on love. The book is rich in content……….” Arthur is nodding slowly, obviously interested in the old fart’s twaddling. Personally Kai would rather eat goat dung than listen to that yakkety-yak - but then his little brother’s intellectual curiosity has always been insatiable. Almost as insatiable as certain other appetites……..

In the corner Llud sits with Theo, Cedric and Kaitlin, weaving a magical tale that years ago he also wove on winter evenings for their fathers and Lenni. “The king went to the smithy, and the smith made a doughty sword for him. When the king came home with the sword, the lad grasped it and gave it a shake or two, and it flew into a hundred splinters……….”

A rousing story with a thrilling twist. Generally Kai would not care how many fables Llud chose to unfold. If only Kaitlin wasn’t loudly squealing as only an excited three-year-old can, when there were so many strings of quails and rabbits to tabulate. Not her fault – Llud has always been an enthralling story-teller. Simply that this task is so fucking dull.

When Hereward moves on to the Thessalonians, Kai’s patience finally snaps. He gathers up his rustling parchment and quills with deliberate huffiness. “Where are you off to big brother?” Arthur’s blue eyes are dancing knowingly. “The sleeping chamber – I am going to try and finish this godforsaken list so we will at least know what to replenish in Cornwall next week.” As he passes, Arthur gives him a brotherly pat. “You work too hard sometimes Kai – yet never think that your efforts aren’t very…….. appreciated.” Hereward looks on approvingly. They have turned out so well, so solid, Llud’s boys. Despite himself, Kai’s lips twitch. How can he resist his bloody beautiful little brother and his double meanings?

Inside the bedroom, he bars the door, tries to settle cosily on his bed, rather wishing that Lenni and Rowena hadn’t taken all the family sheepskins to the river for washing in the fine summer weather, leaving just a scratchy blue blanket draped across his mattress. However steady progress is made.

“Ten barrels of mead.”

“Twelve sacks of barley.”

“Six vats of adder’s sting.”

Until, through the wicker, he hears Arthur laugh………. Low and deep in his throat. And everything suddenly comes undone………………

Making goosebumps leap all over his bum. Sending shivers rippling down his spine. Sapping his knees……………with the inevitable result……..

Hot and hard and standing stiff. Well, it will have to be dealt with here and now. No use trundling back up to the store hut with a rigid weasel. So, five against one……..ha, the rag he used this morning for cleaning his axe………..stroke, pull, wallop………ooh that was nice……..and quite a haul of Cupid’s juice.

Carefully, Kai cleans his creamy fingers. Leaves his prick open to the elements so it can thoroughly deplete, breeches bunched around his boots. Back to the almost completed supplies list. That is until he shifts his bottom more comfortably on the rough blanket – and, all at once, is deluged by memory……..

An autumn morning a number of years ago………..several months after the ousting of Benedicta……..a few weeks before Theo was conceived……….he and Arthur lying asleep, naked, entangled in this very bed, covered by this very sea-coloured blanket which had been less coarse in those days, less bristled by lye soap and thrashings against the river rocks………

Lenni slipping in surreptitiously to fetch something from the sleeping chamber……..noticing that his bare arse was hanging slightly over the edge of the sheepskins, alabaster in the crisp dawn air……..

Silently Lenni had clutched the blanket, meaning to merely cover his tight bottom. Somehow though her warm fingers had slid slowly up one luminous cheek instead, awakening him slightly, quickened by her delicious exploration. That languid gliding, coupled with the fragrance of Arthur’s beloved body wrapped in his arms…….pure heaven…….utter bliss……..until he sighed softly under Lenni’s sensuous hand……..

Blushing fiercely, she had hastily concealed his twitching bottom beneath the blanket, gathered up their dirty breeches and tunics, fled from the room. Theo was already a few months old before he ever mentioned it teasingly again – even then, her cheeks turned scarlet.

Now though, the memory does its full-fledged work before Kai is fully aware……..a harvest of sticky milk drenching the blanket…………leaving him unsure whether to laugh or cry or what exactly to do.

Clearly the spattered covering cannot be left here until Lenni comes to remake the bed…….neither of them wants to sleep on a wet patch tonight and he can hardly take it down to the river with most of the village women busy there with their laundry.

Hmmm………Hurriedly he pulls off the syrupy blanket, rummages in his clothes chest, finds an old grey quilt as a replacement. It will serve well enough with the fresh fleeces piled on top. After all her strenuous washing and beating, Lenni will still want to know how the other one was soiled though and there is no reason he can think of to spill wine on it in the middle of the day. Something then to be pondered………

Thoughtfully Kai wanders through the outer bedroom doors, up to the store hut to check his list. Gazes at the hanging venison, plump rabbits, the piles of rosy apples, dried damsons, savoury mint and rosemary. Chews his lip. Perhaps……..yes that just might work………

“Little brother.” Kai strides jauntily back into the longhouse where Llud is just beginning to distribute chicken and bannocks for the midday meal. “We have to ride in the direction of Druid’s Rock remember? Young Apicius and Jon are near there – their first time at sentry duty so far from the village. Best see how they are getting along.”

Arthur halts with a chicken leg halfway to his lips. “I thought we were going tomorrow – but yes, we can ride out after the meal…….” Determinedly Kai hands the chicken to Theo and hauls Arthur to his feet by his tunic. “I think as soon as we can – after all, there have been reports of stray Picts in the forest.”

As they leave, Kai can hear Hereward settling in beside the fire for the afternoon. Heads together contentedly with Llud. “Have you told these three about the wren, the farmer and the raven? My own grandchildren are exceedingly fond of that tale. I could recite it for you as we eat if you would like……….”

Apicius and Jon are a little startled to see their chieftain and his brother appear over the ridge a full day early. But their reports are detailed and everything is in order. Nothing threatening to relate. Kai and Arthur have no need to tarry there and are soon on their way back to the village.

“Truly my heart. I don’t know what the great hurry was. Better safe than penitent I suppose. Anyway, I’m starving. I hope Llud and Hereward have left a morsel of chicken for us.” Smiling, Kai brings his horse alongside Arthur’s. “No need to worry about that. Just stop in this next glade beloved, near the river. Nice and shady and secluded – and I have a few things in my saddlebags that might take your fancy.” Seeing Arthur’s gleeful grin. “The ones strapped to the sides of my horse, you shamelessly ravenous creature.”

So, spread out lavishly on the scratchy blue blanket………rich spiced mead……….fat sun-ripened strawberries……..grape and honey nut dough………..sweet whey……….succulent pheasant. A feast fit for a king……..or a very hungry Celtic chieftain.

They devour the pheasant, relishing the well-seasoned, gamey meat, chuckling as they lick their greasy fingers clean. Temporarily sated, Arthur lays back, dark head nestled against Kai’s knees, lazily sipping at the fragrant mead. “A wonderful idea my Kai. There is only so much of Hereward and the Thessalonians that one can take after a while – and he’s bound to start up all over again at supper. You have to humour him though, since he signed the new treaty with hardly a murmur……..”

Complacently Kai gazes about at the way the forest is thickened around the glade, completely shielding them from the river, at the early summer flowers, a riot of colour and perfume, at the industrious butterflies flitting from one blossom to the next. It is all enough to utterly turn a man’s head………..pitch him heedlessly into the mood for love. Especially when the love of his life is cradled so close to his burgeoning groin…..

With elaborate care, Kai leans across and pulls off a wad of fruit dough, slowly pushes one moist finger between Arthur’s smiling lips, shivers when Arthur rapaciously sucks. Gently he begins to feed Arthur small sweet morsels, leaving a finger or two in his little brother’s mouth while Arthur idly chews, chuckling deep in his throat as Arthur swallows and licks the sticky fingers clean.

They are due back at the longhouse soon, cannot afford to loiter too long……yet maybe there are still a few indulgences to be enjoyed……..

Lying back again, eyes contentedly closed, Arthur feels Kai’s warm lips softly kissing the back of his neck, tenderly whispering against his mouth. Since they are so absolutely alone, perhaps all these shirts and breeches are rather confining for a balmy summer’s day. Perhaps the clothes would be far better discarded………

Grinning wickedly, Kai kneels in front of Arthur, caressing Arthur’s sprouting cock with his tongue, turning his little brother slightly so he can lightly lick Arthur’s arse cheeks, cascade a tumble of ticklish kisses up Arthur’s back, teasingly brush against Arthur’s hard nipples. A long rasping moan escapes Arthur – hungrily he grinds his hips into Kai’s lingering mouth. So, definitely time for sweetmeats……..

Selecting a particularly plump strawberry, Kai dips it in the creamy whey, trails it sumptuously across Arthur’s flat pulsing stomach. The strawberry circles one erect nipple in an opulent red-ivory halo while Arthur whimpers, laughing impishly. With an extravagant flourish, Kai glides the ruby fruit on to Arthur’s outstretched tongue.

Ferociously Arthur sucks at the strawberry - and Kai fiercely milks the juicy nipple.

Taking a lavish bite, Arthur devours the crimson pulp – and Kai deftly nibbles at the silken skin above Arthur’s pucker. Then suddenly nips and pinches more savagely, making Arthur leap and groan, leaving a love bite as ruddy and lush as any sun-ripened strawberry.

Branded by fiery desire, Arthur tips his mead cup, letting the thick luscious liquid dribble into Kai’s thick luscious flaxen bush, following its cloying path with his wet tongue, hearing Kai’s husky grunts of bliss. His big brother’s prick is tall and straight now, blooming as flamboyantly as any spring flower. While his own shaft……..huge and rigid…….every violet tendon engorged to satiation.

But first there are more fat strawberries to be savoured………..

Gripping a scarlet fruit nimbly between his teeth, Arthur snakes it playfully down Kai’s quivering spine, trickles a little golden mead inside Kai’s golden-furred entrance, slowly spreads Kai’s moist cheeks with the strawberry, watching his big brother squirm, deluged by delight.

Deftly he slides the rosy fruit further inside Kai – at the same time, dunking a finger in the tangy whey and offering it to Kai who devours it whole, fondling and revelling.

Arthur begins to work the strawberry in and out of Kai’s taut opening with the savage rhythm of his sucking. And Kai begins to thrash, muscles pulsating, prick throbbing.

Greedily consuming the fruit, Arthur laps up the honey nectar pooling within Kai’s hot cleft, slipping and sliding his covetous tongue around that deliciously sticky darkness. Kai releases a resounding groan, reaching behind to enfold Arthur’s swollen shaft in one dextrous hand.

Tumbling feverishly to face Kai, Arthur unfurls himself wide across the blue blanket. They sprawl, grinning exuberantly, not giving a rat’s twat how rough the covering beneath them is……… eye to eye, chest to chest, cock to cock……..

Starting to fiercely stroke again, Kai feels Arthur working and caressing his thrusting length, his little brother’s thumb gently tickling the leaking head.

Nose to nose, wrist to wrist, come to come………

Pearly and fiery, torrid and wondrous………

More cream to smear and share, mouth to mouth, tongue to tongue, heart to heart……

That night at supper Kai becomes just a little devilishly drunk. Lenni gazes at him shrewdly – then turns to mush when he gives that dazzling grin. “So.” Her fingers banter and wheedle. “There is obviously a very good reason why I was forced to lay all our gleaming fleeces on your tattered old grey campaign blanket and why the blue one is soiled with mead and whey.”

Fluttering his brown eyes innocently, Kai nods. “But of course my pretty. We had to ride up to check on Jon and Apicius at midday. Therefore we needed the blue blanket to throw on the grass, when we sat down to eat.” And he swings her up into his arms as if she weighs nothing but thistledown and bestows a smacking kiss on her lips.

She knows that somehow she is being duped – since when has Kai become so delicate that he needs a piece of cloth between his delectable bum and the ground in summer? But she couldn’t care less………..

He is utterly adorable when he’s frisky like this……..no, that’s not quite accurate, he’s adorable every minute of every day. Yet right now, he’s somehow even better – beautiful and sweet and extraordinary.

Who gives a bloody damn about the stupid blankets? Kai could lay nettles on their bed and she would contentedly sleep on them forever as long as he can be exactly as he is in this moment – handsome and laughing and happy………….

In fact the table has hardly been divested of food platters and Llud has just wandered off to Olwen’s hut, when Kai generously decides to include Hereward the Holy in his bountiful mood. “Both you and Llud were recounting so many intriguing tales today Hereward. Stories steeped in myth and legend.” Hereward virtually preens, highly grateful for this unexpectedly appreciative audience.

Listening with half an ear, Arthur watches amused as Rowena flings herself decisively into his great carved chair and draws Lenni down at her feet in front of the fire. “We’ve been beating sheepskins Arthur, so you can sleep in fresh clean comfort and we’re weary. Now there are three fractious children to put to bed and the task is all yours.”

Smiling drowsily, Arthur lifts a wilting Kaitlin against his shoulder, starts to herd Theo and Cedric into the sleeping chamber……….when he suddenly takes note of what Kai is saying behind him. “Yes, Arthur and I had a few particular favourites when we were boys……..Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree………The Battle of the Birds…….but especially Gliding the Strawberry, also commonly known as The Strawberry and the Tunnel.”

Arthur’s dreamy blue eyes fly open, immediately alert. “I don’t believe I have ever heard that fable Kai”. Hereward frowns, scratching pensively at the grey-black hair that falls below the band of his hood. “I know many of the most popular ones…….”

“Kai.” Arthur’s tone is direct and meaningful.

“Just a minute Arthur.” Kai bequeaths his most brilliant tipsy grin. “Well, it is certainly an old story Hereward. As old as time itself you could say. You see, there was this fat juicy strawberry dwelling cheek by jowl with this dark wet tunnel………”

“Kai.” A more emphatic command from the door of the bedroom.

“Coming little brother, as it were.” Another bright drunken smile. “The thing is Hereward, this was an especially intelligent strawberry with mighty ambitions. That splendid tunnel beckoned and twinkled, needing to be……..”

“Kai.” This time, a formidable bark, far more ferocious than the master-to-dog command that once preserved Eithna’s virginity for a few more yearning days.

Arthur grimaces. “I would like your help…….here…….now please.”

Understandably Hereward looks rather crestfallen. The tale of the audacious strawberry has already quickened his pulse. Somehow it sounds almost…….sensual.

Making an apologetic gesture, Kai lurches to his feet, grasping Theo and Cedric by the hand. “I’m sorry Hereward. Another time perhaps.” And then turns and gives Arthur a completely brazen, decidedly sober wink………..which Arthur can interpret perfectly, even as he melts into glowing pulp………..

“Had you going didn’t I beloved? Good thing then that you love me more than a bee does honey. Otherwise I might just be in trouble……..”


End file.
